Ventilating exhaust fans, such as those typically installed in bathrooms, draw air from within an area and pass the exhausted air out to another location, such as through a vent in the gable or roof of a home or other building structure. Centrifugal exhaust fans typically include a rotating fan wheel having a plurality of vanes that create an outward airflow which, in turn, is directed out of an outlet opening. The fan wheel is typically coupled to a motor supported within the fan housing, and the motor drives the fan wheel, thus providing ventilation to an area. In some cases, a curved fan scroll is employed to channel air around the fan, and can be defined by a housing wall of the fan or by a separate element or structure within the fan housing.
Many typical ventilating exhaust fan assemblies currently in use include a housing positioned within a building structure, such as in an aperture in a wall or ceiling. The housing is generally secured in the aperture in a number of conventional manners, such as by being attached to wall or ceiling joists, or by being attached to other structures in the wall or ceiling. In some cases, it may be desirable to replace an exhaust fan within a building or structure. For example, an old exhaust fan may need to be replaced when broken or malfunctioning, or it may be desirable to replace an old exhaust fan with one that is more powerful, or has one or more features or characteristics different than the existing exhaust fan. However, conventional exhaust fans can be relatively difficult and time consuming to remove and replace due, in part, to conventional coupling assemblies. Typically, these assemblies require additional parts that require alignment and attachment to the housing, and offer limited ability to be configured for clearance or maneuverability within a pre-existing aperture and/or mounting to a structure in a wall or ceiling.